Youth Counselors Trainee Internship Program

Youth economic advancement

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, nearly 1 in 5 people have a mental health condition. As of May 2024, the LA County Department of Mental Health serves 234,691 clients, with 17% residing in SPA 2, which is the SFVCC service area. Forty-two percent of these individuals are between the ages of 29 and 59, and more than 40% are below 25 years of age. SFVCC specializes in helping individuals cope with mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse, extending support to roughly 60,000 families since its inception. Annually, SFVCC engages with 200-300 clients through a variety of services, including individual, family, marriage, crisis counseling, group sessions (i.e., parenting), and specialized referrals, including victims of crime, homelessness, and adolescents. Many of these individuals do not have medical coverage or a medical home for consistent follow-up.

We seek to improve the mental wellbeing of our youth, while also providing them with the tools and education to become certified therapists themselves. SFVCC has a team of 5 employees and 25 licensed clinical staff and volunteer counselors who are deeply invested in the professional growth of upcoming mental health professionals, guiding approximately 1,000 pre-licensees since 1971 to complete their training hours.
With an objective to expand the Youth Trainee Intern Program to empower young individuals to select behavioral health as a career choice, we will:
Increase availability of qualified mental health professionals.
Improve access to mental health resources and reduced stigma.
Offer timely access to counseling services for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Empower youth to become mental health advocates and professionals.
Develop a resilient community with enhanced coping skills and support networks.
The objectives and the proposed strategies to implement the objectives are meticulously aligned with a mission to “work to improve the health care system so that all Californians have the care they need...”

SFVCC has previously implemented intern programs. Through this proposal, SFVCC proposes to reinstate this project and focus on diversifying the workforce and supporting youth trainees in developing their skill set to work with special populations, such as maternal mental health, unhoused individuals, and older adults, and most importantly, other youth facing similar challenge. By expanding our relationships with juvenile justice agencies, local high schools and higher education to attract more individuals to a career pathway in behavioral health support, we intend to impact Los Angeles County by increasing community partnerships and building bridges to help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues while also focusing on bridging gaps of inequity in the SFVCC service system and with other health institutions in the San Fernando Valley.

Our initiatives include enhancing our Clinical Counseling Intern and Trainee programs, meeting increased demand for services by training more than 50 volunteer counselors each year, and fostering community integration through partnerships with medical professionals, universities and nonprofits. In essence, this project is an extension of an already established and successful project, focusing on solely youth ages 14 to 18. By adding the Youth Trainee Internship Program, we are able to expand our service capacity but also a strategic investment in building a healthier, more resilient community. This approach is expected to yield significant improvements, just as our Counseling Trainee Program has, in public health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations. We expect to begin by servicing 50 students during the Summer, and expanding to a year-round after school program, leading to improvement in grades, more mental health professionals, and strengthening mental wellness.